Ever wonder why the Puma logo resembles what it does? The answer to that question might surprise you because if you think about it, the logo has nothing to do with the company’s name or business model. The Puma emblem’s origins are rooted in tradition and culture! It simply signifies power, speed, passion, and agility.
If you are in the wilderness regarding the meaning of the Puma logo, read on and discover its meaning to learn more about this famous sportswear company’s emblem!
What is the Puma Brand’s Background?
Since1948, Puma has made a name as a sports brand. It started by creating athletic equipment for track-and-field athletes. This German company eventually became one of the leading providers of athletic gear for high-profile athletes and sports organizations.
In 1977, it joined forces with NBA legend Walt Clyde Frazier to develop performance basketball shoes. The relationship lasted until 1986. A few years later, Puma began producing soccer cleats for notable players.
Over time, the company partnered with prominent athletes, including ASA and sprinter Usain Bolt. Today, Puma is known for its running shoes designed specifically for over-pronators or under-pronators.
They also produce casual footwear for men, women, and children. Their products include apparel, bags, and accessories.
What Does the Word Puma Mean?
Puma means cougar, but it describes anything quick and robust. The Egyptian goddess Bastet took on a puma-like appearance with her lion’s head and paws. In ancient Japan, women who had killed an enemy in battle were known as warrior cats and represented by a Puma artwork.
The exact representation also occurred throughout Native American tribes in North America, most likely due to nature. When you look at today’s logo, what do you see? An angry cat – or perhaps a graceful animal prepared to launch into a jump. It all depends on your perspective. One thing we know for sure: It’s powerful.
The Puma Brand Identity
The word Puma is taken from a Peruvian word that means the one who climbs trees and brings good news. The logo of two stacked triangles with three stripes symbolizes that talent is born inside you and will rise to greatness with hard work and training.
Sports apparel has been designed with overpronators in mind, and it covers many sports, including track running and soccer.
The Puma Logo Design Elements
A corporate logo is a graphic symbol used by an organization to aid and promote instant public recognition. Logos are also called emblems, devices, badges, or coats of arms. Ancient crests and coats of arms have been used in modern times (e.g., Tequila bottles and even NASCAR vehicles).
Symbols like these help companies gain instant consumer recognition. A good logo can be instrumental in helping a new company establish itself among established competitors.
The Puma logo was designed by Claus-Dietrich Lahrs, who worked for one of Puma’s ad agencies in 1987.
Some Facts about the Puma Logo Designs
A ‘P’ on its side with three dots underneath it represents a cat’s paw print, which inspired Rudolf Dassler when he created his first pair of shoes with spikes in 1948.
In 1987, after more than 50 years of continuous production, Puma introduced its current logo design—an italicized block letter P with three parallel bars behind it. This logo has featured on most of Puma’s products since then.
The ‘P’ stands for power and speed. There are several other meanings associated with Puma’s logo.
Power: Power is not just physical strength but mental strength, which all athletes need to succeed.
Speed: As mentioned above, speed relates to sports performance and how fast you move around a track or field during competition.
Passion: Sports involve passion from both players and fans alike, something you will see displayed throughout sporting events every day.
The Characters in the Puma Logo Design
A puma head forms the P and U characters in a puma logo with its front legs. The M character is created by two heads, representing a cat’s tail. This makes it clear that pumas are fierce animals with quick reflexes.
In addition, there is a track runner inside each of these letters, symbolizing how pumas can run fast. It also means that track runners wearing Puma running shoes will run faster than before. Moreover, Puma sports apparel has made athletes feel light and comfortable performing at their best.
Therefore, we may conclude an association between speed and agility in pumas and people who wear Puma running shoes or clothes when they run. This is among the reasons why many athletes love them so much!
Other Animals Symbolized in the Puma Logo
There are other animals depicted in a puma logo design. One of them is a leopard, clearly visible in any Puma shoe design; you will see spots on every pair of Puma sneakers. The Leopard prints were chosen because they reflect power and speed—perfect for an active lifestyle.
Besides, it helps identify products from authentic sports brands; most fakes don’t have any animal prints whatsoever.
The Bottom Line
A logo is your first calling card and visual representation of what you’re selling, so it’s only natural that your brand identity would be linked to your identity as an individual.
The idea behind a personal brand can be frightening for some entrepreneurs who fear being typecast into one particular industry or having their successes and failures associated with just one image for years to come.
If you know yourself—and who you are—you should see past those concerns and come up with something that simultaneously reflects your personality and professional goals. For instance, the Puma logo has seen several changes, but a Puma ready to jump is always present. The logo conveys a straightforward message: Speed, power, passion, and agility.
Reference 1: History of the PUMA Logo – PUMA CATch up (puma-catchup.com)
Reference 2: Puma Logo Design – History, Meaning and Evolution | Turbologo
